After over a week of traveling around the Republic of Georgia, I finally made it to the final city on my whirlwind trip, Batumi! Come along with me as I explore the biggest fish market in Batumi, Georgia!
Batumi is the second-largest city in Georgia and the capital of the Adjara region. It’s located on the Black Sea and is known for its gambling. In fact, its nickname is “The Las Vegas of the Black Sea!” It’s also famous for its unique Adjarian cuisine!
My boy Tim from Friendly GE and I started our morning at Batumi Fish Market, the biggest fish market in Batumi, Georgia and the country. It opens at 10 a.m. and sells fish from the Black Sea, nearby rivers, and fish farms.
Inside, the vendors were just starting to set up their catch. One woman we met was selling dorado fish, salmon, sturgeon, prawns, and oysters. We went with some wild Black Sea salmon for GEL 52/$17 USD. She gutted and cleaned it for us as well!
At another vendor, we saw shrimp, tiny octopus, dorada, sea bass, salmon, and more. I could see why the biggest fish market in Batumi, Georgia is also so busy. They offer just about anything any seafood lover could want!
As we browsed, I also saw some small octopus. I’ve eaten octopus everywhere from Spain to Japan. It’s one of my favorites, so I knew we had to get some. We took 5 of them for GEL 10/$4 USD and 3 prawns for GEL 9/$4 USD.
Then, we got some Turkish coffee, which was thick and strong. Then, we bought 5 oysters for GEL 20/$7 USD. In total, we had only spent about $30 USD! The fish market is next to the port area, and there are lots of restaurants nearby that will cook your fish for you!
We headed to Blue Wave Restaurant, where they charge GEL 6/$2 USD per kilo you want them to cook. We gave them our fish and then headed back into the kitchen to watch them prepare everything! They added oil, paprika, oregano, and other spices to the salmon.
After 15 minutes, our seafood feast was ready! We got a table out on the pier by the water and dug in! The wild grilled salmon was buttery and delicious but had some bones in it. I loved the oil, paprika, and oregano. There’s nothing like fresh fish!
Next was the grilled octopus, which was both weird and amazing. I loved the tentacles and the paprika-oregano-oil sauce on them. It was too good! Then, we jumped on the oysters, which we added a splash of lemon to. They were nice and briny! Then, we took the shell and legs off the shrimp, which were fresh and succulent!
After eating with a fork, I just dug in with my hands. It was easier and the food was fantastic! I finished with one last oyster and a bit more salmon and then our wine arrived!
It was a MaNavi dry white wine from the Kakheti region. It was perfect with the seafood and the hot weather. What an amazing experience!
I hope you liked coming with me to the biggest fish market in Batumi, Georgia! If you did, please give this video a thumbs up and leave me a comment below. Also, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and click the notification bell so you don’t miss any of my upcoming travel/food adventures!
